Hoarding: When too much stuff just isn’t enough

Tuesday

Sep 28, 2010 at 12:01 AMSep 28, 2010 at 10:45 PM

Recent TV shows have drawn attention to the heretofore little-noticed issue of hoarding. While serious cases get more attention, hoarding is really an age-old problem that’s just recently gotten the attention and research needed, said Dr. Jeff Szymanski, executive director of the International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation based in Boston.

Melissa Erickson

Recent TV shows have drawn attention to the heretofore little-noticed issue of hoarding.

While serious cases get more attention, hoarding is really an age-old problem that’s just recently gotten the attention and research needed, said Dr. Jeff Szymanski, executive director of the International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation based in Boston.

“Hoarding has been unknown, unrecognized, because hoarders don’t seek treatment and, up until recently — the early ’90s — no one knew what to do with it,” Szymanski said. “It has not been well-addressed previously, but it’s been around since the beginning of time.”

What is hoarding exactly? In the simplest terms, hoarding is when someone has too much stuff and that stuff gets in the way of living his or her life, Szymanski said. It’s when a person cannot stop accumulating.

The ill effects of hoarding are that it affects day-to-day living. “The dining room table is not for eating, because there’s too much stuff on it. The bed is not for sleeping; the coach is not for sitting. Countertops are not for storing utensils,” Szymanski said.

The problem lies in the fact that hoarders don’t see they have a problem. They like their stuff and how it’s piled in and around the house, garage and yard. The problem of hoarding is that is creates “interpersonal friction” or family conflicts.

Children, spouses and other family members have a problem living amid the clutter.

Additionally, the accumulated belongings pile up and become fire hazards or create unsanitary conditions, said Sharon Beck, RN and clinical social worker with Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Ill.

Hoarding is often overlooked because it’s hidden, Szymanski said. Hoarders often make excuses not to allow friends, family members and even repairmen into the house.

Where to go for help

If you or someone you know has a problem with hoarding, there are resources available to help.

But be aware: like with other addictions, a hoarder has to want to get help and be motivated to change in order to be stop hoarding.

Learn as much as you can. Check out www.ocfoundation.org for information or to find a specialist in your area.

More research can be found in Dr. Randy Frost’s recent book, “Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things.”